This is the Heart of Homeschool Education.
Charolette Mason by Karen Andreola
My favorite quote:
"At the end of the day a child needs someone to love, somethings to do, something to think about.
Charolette Mason believed that children learn best from a liberal arts education, lots of reading and just being in nature. This philosophy is parallel to Montessori methods.
Montessori: Children learn in their own way and at their own pace using all five senses.
Andreola teaches us that Charolette Mason's method uses Living/Whole Books to educate.
"Whole books are living in the sense that they are written by a single author who shares personally his favorite subject with us, and we pick up on his enthusiasm." Text books should be used only as a secondary tool.
I didn't really understand how this concept would work until I read how important narration is. The power of narration (after a child is 6 years old) helps to mind to think and expands vocabulary. "Narration is the best way to acquire knowledge from books." This is so true. I am sure you could "narrate" to me any book you have read but, can you remember as many details from a textbook you read? Have children narrate 2 to 3 times a week.
"Children should be motivated by admiration, faith, and love, instead of artificial stimulants such as prizes, competition, and grades." When children are motivated by admiration htey gain the ability to teach themselves.
Another of my favorite insights from this book is the 3 Period Lesson
Period 1: This is Red
Period 2: Which one is red?
Period 3: What color is this?
I found this book very inspriring. There are so many great ideas and I love that it is centered around teaching with love. These are excellent ideas to teach the liberal arts, but I also want my children to have a strong math and science background as well which is not quite as simple as reading a story.
